One Snarky Chica with Issues

Each Friday is dedicated to personal development issues. 

I have an Indian friend that is a minimalist. After visiting her home for the first time, I was struck by how neat and zen-like it was and decided immediately that I needed to simplify my life. That was almost 4 years ago, and I am still striving to simplify my life. Here are some of the things I have learned along the way.

Slow things down. Life is hectic and constantly seems to move at warp speed, which is why we need take some time each day to slow down and relax a little. Whether you want to mediate or just sit in silence with an aromatherapy candle, 30 minutes a day should help clear you mind.

Clean out your closets. We tend to keep a lot of things that we don’t need or use, from clothes that don’t fit to dishes we never use. Set time aside once a week to go through closets, drawers, etc. to see if there is anything you’re not using that you can get rid of. Otherwise, you’re just accumulating clutter. Saturdays are usually when I go through my closets looking for things I haven’t worn in the past 2 months.

Have a neat, organized work space. Almost everyone has a computer at home, and even if you don’t work from home you probably sit down somewhere to pay bills, make out grocery lists, etc. Keep this space neat and free of clutter so that you don’t waste time looking for things or misplace a bill.

Start your day the night before. In order to avoid a hectic rush in the mornings, I pick out my clothes the night before. I also try to make a list of things I’ll need to accomplish so that I can start without wasting any time.

Know how to say no. Too often we overstretch ourselves, creating undue stress and less time for ourselves. Sometimes you have to say no, if for no other reason than to maintain your sanity. Don’t overload yourself by saying yes too many times.

Live below your means. Living above your means creates financial disharmony, which leads to stress because you don’t know how you’re going to pay your bills. Clutter is also a byproduct of living above your means. Why not live below your means? You save money, see less stress as a result and have less clutter in your home! It also forces you to be creative as you invent new ways to do things.

Set up auto bill payments. You save on postage and you don’t have to worry about getting a late fee if you forget to send something out on time. Also, get all your bills online and you get less paper, meaning less clutter.

Try to only have as few bills as possible. Pay off all your debt or just keep on credit card, this way you have fewer bills to pay. This means less paper, less payments and less headaches.

Drink water. It’s free and great for you and your skin! Save money and look better, what have you got to lose? Don’t like water? Try iced tea, it’s very inexpensive to make and still gets a lot of water into your system.

Limit your grocery store trips. I only go to the grocery store once a week, unless I run out of milk. I do this for two reasons. One, it helps save on gas and time. Two, it keeps me from impulse buying as I only have a chance to do so once a week. If I forget something, I force myself to wait until the next week.

Scan it. Have important documents, like tax stuff, that you need to keep? Scan them and keep them as a PDF file on some disks and you’ve decreased clutter! Just make sure you have more than one copy of the files! I do this with receipts that I’ll want to itemize for taxes.

Convert your CDs to MP3s. I love music, but CDs are expensive. Here’s what I do – I buy the CD and rip the songs off as MP3s. Then, I sell the CDs on Amazon Marketplace. Sometimes I end up getting the music for nothing!

Wash your dishes after every meal. This is a great time saver because if you do it after every meal then you never have a ton of dishes to do. And, you don’t have to worry about food setting up on the dishes either. And do them by hand; you’ll save a fortune on water!

Turn off your computer. Leaving your computer on wastes electricity that you have to pay for and heats up your home. It also offers an easy distraction from other things you need to be doing.

Make your own cleaners. There is no need to have a different expensive cleaner for everything you clean. You can usually just buy one thing or even make a cleaner. Baking soda, lemon juice and water makes a great abrasive cleaner. A vinegar/water mixture is also a good cleaner. And sometimes, I use Dawn to clean things.

Use the library. Instead of buying media items, visit your local library for books, movies and more. Just remember to return your items on time!

Cancel your cable. If you have cable then it is an easy distraction! Get rid of it, save some money and have more time to be productive.

Disconnect your internet when you are working at home. If you unplug your internet connection while you’re working at home you won’t be tempted to check your email or play online when you should be getting something done!

Make lists. Lists help you stay focused on what you need to be doing. They also give you a sense of accomplishment when you are able to cross something off the list.

Be an early riser. If you can get in the habit of getting up early, you are able to start your day before anyone else. It usually quieter, which means higher productivity levels for me. And if you have errands to run on the weekends, you can do them before most people are even awake! That saves time and frustration.